Carmel of Pontoise

The Carmel of Pontoise , placed under the term of Holy Joseph, was founded in 1605. It is oldest Carmel in activity in France.

History

Pontoise is the second founded Carmel thérésien in France, after Paris. In 1605, the monastery is directed by a Spanish nun, Anne of St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre, partner of Sainte Therese d' Avila. The first community lives temporarily in several houses of the street of the Sun (current street Marcel-Rousier). But because of water problems calling into question the very strict fence, the sisters quickly consider the installation of the monastery in bottom of the city.

Thanks to the action of Michel de Marillac, and Minister of Justice, Mother Acarie, in religion Marie Sister of the Incarnation, founder of the order in France, the Carmelite nuns of Pontoise can nowadays be established as of 1610 in the always visible buildings, street Pierre-Spoils. It is in Carmel of Pontoise that Soeur Marie of the Incarnation decides to be withdrawn, in December 1616. It there extinct in 1618, odor of holiness. A mausoleum is ordered in 1626 in Francesco Bordoni (1580-1654).

The exceptional radiation that Carmel of Pontoise exerts on the other communities and the catholic reform in France must much with the action of its prioresss, in particular Jeanne of Jesus, the sister of the Chancelier Séguier. The monastery also profits from the protection of Marie de Médicis and Anne of Austria which returns several visits to the Carmelite nuns of Pontoise, accompanied of the young person Louis XIV.

During the Revolution, the goods of the monastery are secularized: grounds, mills and houses are sold in 1791 and 1792. The expulsion of the Carmelite nuns takes place in September 1792. In order to avoid a profanation of the mausoleum of Mother Acarie, the nuns helped by the count de Monthiers make deposit the relics in the vault of the castle of Nucourt. The buildings of Carmel then know various assignments (prison, attic with corn, arms manufacture, manufacture of weaving and dyeing). Some nuns return there as from 1805. In 1818, the buildings are repurchased by the Town of Pontoise. They are resold with the Carmelite nuns of Versailles in 1820. They restore the conventual life there in September 1821. Relics of happy the Marie Sister of the Incarnation are restored in Carmel on May 7th, 1822.

The Carmelite nuns are again threatened of expulsion in 1901 and 1936. To date, the community includes/understands a dozen nuns.

The Carmel of Pontoise east registered since 1986 with the additional Inventory of the Historic buildings. Y are preserved many works of Article.

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